Farmers’ Improvement School - Virginia Harris Hill Collection

Many thanks to Virginia Harris Hill for sharing the photographs on this page with us.

Virginia's father, Roy Harris, attended F.I.S. in 1911.  He served in World War I in France.  After returning home after the war, he married Birdie Johnson.  Roy was a cotton farmer, and was a great advocate for education for his children.

Virginia attended F.I.S. in the mid 1940s, for 4 years (8th-11th grades for her).  She recalls that the principal at the time she attended was J.  R. Lockett, who taught all subjects.  The elementary teacher was Olivia Gilmore Scales. Virginia says she received an excellent education at F. I. S.  She became a school teacher, first in Anson, Texas and later in California.

Mr. Harris purchased the property on which F.I.S. formerly stood after the school closed.  The photo to the right is Roy Harris and his wife Birdie Harris standing in front of the former F.I.S. President's home.  This home burned at some later date.

The photos below, provided by Virginia, predate Virginia's days at F.I.S. and are probably from the 1930s. These photos were given to her.